Students react to major changes to campus

Students react to major changes to campus

Volcanoes and plate tectonics usually do not reside in concepts of perception and personality, but come July 1, geoscience will be lumped together with psychology in the larger College of Science and Engineering.

“I think it makes things more complicated,” said psychology major Crystal Lanuza. “Especially with classes you’d need to take like a required science class versus the ones I’d need to take for my major.”

The merger, and the uncertainty that surrounds some departments, has left students in a tenuous situation.

“Nothing is set in stone. We’re still kind of meddling it out, but we’re getting there,” said Amanda Chamsi, Associated Students Inc., junior representative and University Planning Advisory Council student appointee. “The kinks are not worked out yet, but they will be.”

For those who have been keeping themselves informed about what has been going on with the restructure since UPAC released its recommendation, the merger may not be surprising.

But for the majority of the campus, no one seems to know what is happening in regard to the merger.

“There isn’t much promotion on it and with finals coming up, its hard to stay current on some issues,” Chamsi said.

With the controversy over the merger largely focusing on the affects to faculty, ASI creative arts representative and upcoming vice president of university affairs Franko Ali understands the lack of student involvement.

Ali said that although faculty will largely be affected, students will soon enough realize their involvement.

Ali, a visual communications major, feels that Creative Arts, with its inclusion into the College of Arts and Humanities, is one of the colleges that will take a big hit when merged.

“It’s very disappointing that Creative Arts won’t be recognized as a solitary thing anymore,” Ali said. “There’s even going to be a new building for Creative Arts, but Creative Arts itself is gone.”

With the College of Arts and Humanities set to become the largest college with 24 departments, one obstacle will be the ability of the dean of Arts and Humanities to manage disciplines he may not be entirely familiar with.

“If you’ve ever had to withdraw from a class, you know you have to get it signed by the dean. It’s little things like this that can be tough,” Ali said.